Physocarpus plant named ‘Podaras 3’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Physocarpus  plant named ‘Podaras 3’, characterized by its compact and upright plant habit; freely branching habit; dense and bushy habit; yellow green-colored leaves; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Physocarpus opulifolius.

Cultivar denomination: ‘PODARAS 3’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Physocarpus plant, botanically known as Physocarpus opulifolius and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Podaras 3’.

The new Physocarpus plant is a product of a controlled breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Ithaca, N.Y. The objective of the breeding program is to create new compact Physocarpus plants with unique foliage colors, types and textures.

The new Physocarpus plant originated from an open-pollination on May 10, 2006 of an unnamed seedling selection of Physocarpus opulifolius, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with an unknown selection of Physocarpus opulifolius, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Physocarpus plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor in August, 2008 as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the stated open-pollination in a controlled environment in Ithaca, N.Y.

Asexual reproduction of the new Physocarpus plant by cuttings in a controlled environment in West Chicago, Ill. since February, 2009 has shown that the unique features of this new Physocarpus plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations of asexual reproduction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Physocarpus have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment and cultural practices such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Podaras 3’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Podaras 3’ as a new and distinct cultivar of Physocarpus:

-   -   1. Compact and upright plant habit.     -   2. Freely branching habit; dense and bushy habit.     -   3. Yellow green-colored leaves.     -   4. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Physocarpus can be compared to plants of the female parent selection. Plants of the new Physocarpus differ from plants of the female parent selection primarily in leaf color as plants of the female parent selection have copper-colored leaves.

Plants of the new Physocarpus can be compared to plants of the Physocarpus opulifolius ‘Diablo’, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Physocarpus differed from plants of ‘Diablo’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Physocarpus were shorter than and not as         open as plants of ‘Diablo’.     -   2. Plants of the new Physocarpus and ‘Diablo’ differed in leaf         color as plants of ‘Diablo’ had dark burgundy-colored leaves.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Physocarpus plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Physocarpus plant.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical plant of ‘Podaras 3’ grown in a container.

The photograph at the top of the sheet is a close-up view of a typical plant of ‘Podaras 3’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown during the spring and summer in one-gallon containers in an outdoor nursery in Abbotsford, British Columbia, Canada and under commercial practice. Plants were six months old when the photographs and description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Physocarpus opulifolius ‘Podaras 3’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Unnamed seedling selection of             Physocarpus opulifolius, not patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Unknown selection of Physocarpus             opulifolius, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots plant.—About two weeks at             temperatures of 18° C. to 24° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted plant, summer.—About three weeks at             temperatures of 18° C. to 24° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted plant, winter.—About three to four             weeks at temperatures of 18° C. to 24° C.         -   Root description.—Fibrous, fine; white in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; moderately dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant form and growth habit.—Perennial shrub; compact and             upright plant habit; moderately vigorous growth habit.         -   Branching habit.—Freely branching habit with about four             lateral branches develop per plant; pinching enhances             lateral branch development.         -   Plant height.—About 18.8 cm.         -   Plant diameter (area of spread).—About 14 cm by 17 cm. -   Lateral branch description:     -   -   Length.—About 17.2 cm.         -   Diameter.—About 3 mm.         -   Internode length.—About 2.2 cm.         -   Texture.—Smooth, glabrous.         -   Color, young stems.—Close to 195B.         -   Color, mature stems.—Close to N199C. -   Foliage description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate, simple.         -   Length.—About 5.5 cm.         -   Width.—About 4.5 cm.         -   Shape.—Deltoid with three lobes; maple leaf-shaped.         -   Apex.—Acute.         -   Base.—Cordate.         -   Margin.—Biserrate.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth, glabrous.         -   Venation pattern.—Palmate and pinnate.         -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to N144A.             Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to N144D. Fully             expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to 146C; venation,             close to 146D. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close             to 147C; venation, close to 147D.         -   Petiole.—Length: About 1.5 cm. Diameter: About 1 mm.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color,             upper and lower surfaces: Close to 146D. -   Flower description: Flower initiation and development has not been     observed on plants of the new Physocarpus. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Physocarpus have been observed     to have good garden performance. -   Pathogen/pest resistance: Plants of the new Physocarpus have not     been observed to resistant to pathogens and pests common to     Physocarpus. 

1. A new and distinct Physocarpus plant named ‘Podaras 3’ as illustrated and described. 